- Battered for half an hour, the Indomitable Lions bent but did not break before striking with clinical precision.
- Tchamadeu and then Kofane turned the Round of 16 match, despite a lively and dominant South Africa.
- Reduced to defending late in the game, the Cameroonians held firm under pressure to secure qualification in Rabat (2-1).
South Africa 1–2 Cameroon
Scorers: E. Makgopa / J. Tchamadeu 34′, C. Kofane 37′
Suffocated, shaken, sometimes on the edge, Cameroon nevertheless stood firm—and struck at the right moment. Long dominated by an enterprising Bafana Bafana, the Indomitable Lions relied on their efficiency and composure to claim a 2–1 win in Rabat and book their place in the quarter-finals.
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For the first 30 minutes, South Africa set the tempo. High pressing, vertical play, clear chances: Cameroon bent but did not break, saved by Epassy and South Africa’s own imprecision. Then, in a match waiting for a turning point, Tchamadeu appeared in the 33rd minute. One shot, one goal, and suddenly the game shifted.
Revitalised, the Cameroonians took control. Immediately after the break, Kofane struck in the 47th minute, doubling the lead with a composed diving header. The blow was harsh for Bafana Bafana, but typical of knockout football.
South Africa never gave up. Makgopa reignited hope in the 87th minute, and Rabat held its breath. Epassy was tested but held firm… and Cameroon survived. Solid, organised, sometimes on the edge, the Lions resisted until the final whistle.
Dominated but qualified, challenged but lucid, Cameroon moves forward. The Indomitable Lions will face Morocco on Friday at the Stade Moulay Abdellah in Rabat.
Morocco booked their place in the quarter-finals of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations 2025 with a narrow 1–0 victory over Tanzania in Rabat on Sunday, as Brahim Diaz’s second-half strike proved decisive.
The breakthrough came after a patient but testing evening for the hosts, who dominated possession but found clear chances hard to come by against a well-organised Tanzanian side determined to extend their historic run at the tournament.
Morocco, captained by Achraf Hakimi for the first time at this edition, controlled the opening exchanges but struggled to turn territorial dominance into goals. Tanzania sat deep, closed spaces efficiently and repeatedly denied the Atlas Lions room to operate in the final third.
The home side thought they had made the breakthrough midway through the first half when Ismail Saibari finished from close range in the 24th minute, only for the goal to be ruled out following a VAR review for offside. It was a moment that underlined Morocco’s frustration as the first period ended goalless.
Walid Regragui’s side emerged with greater urgency after the restart. Brahim Diaz was immediately involved, forcing a corner with a glancing header, before Bilal El Khannouss fired narrowly over the crossbar in the 52nd minute as Morocco began to turn the screw.
Tanzania, however, almost stunned the hosts against the run of play. Feisal Toto found himself unmarked inside the box in the 56th minute but sent his effort high over the bar, squandering what would have been a remarkable opener.
Roared on by a capacity crowd at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Sports Complex, Morocco finally found the decisive moment just past the hour mark.
Diaz produced a moment of individual brilliance in the 63rd minute, cutting in and finishing from a tight angle to beat the goalkeeper and ignite celebrations in the stands.
The goal was Diaz’s fourth of the tournament, taking him clear at the top of the scoring charts and once again underlining his importance to Morocco’s title ambitions.
Despite continued pressure and several half-chances, the hosts were unable to add to their lead. Tanzania remained competitive until the final whistle, but could not find a way back as Morocco held firm to secure progression.
With the win, Morocco advance to the quarter-finals, where they will meet the winner of the Round of 16 clash between South Africa and Cameroon at the Stade Al Madina in Rabat.
REACTIONS
Brahim Diaz – TotalEnergies Man of the Match:
“The competition is growing in intensity and we have just faced our toughest opposition so far against this Tanzanian team. Not everything worked, we know that, but fortunately we managed to secure our qualification. Now we will go back to work to be fully ready for the quarter-finals.”
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Miguel Ángel Gamondi – Tanzania head coach:
“I am so proud of what my team produced. So proud of my players, both in their attitude and tactically. They showed that the gap between Morocco and us is not as big as people think. We will come back stronger, I am convinced of that.”
Walid Regragui – Morocco head coach:
“We knew it was not going to be easy, judging by the matches we saw yesterday, even if we thought it might be more straightforward. The first half was not good, but I recognised my team much more in the second half. The most important thing is qualification. As for Azzedine Ounahi, he picked up an injury in training and is out of the Africa Cup of Nations. We are losing an exceptional player and a leader in our dressing room, but we will continue to fight for him.”
